POST OFFICE: COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT – GRIEVANCE POLICY AND PROCEDURE
I am pleased to inform Branches and our Post Office members that the Postal Executive unanimously endorsed a Collective Agreement for a new Grievance Policy and Procedure (Appendix A).
The Collective Agreement and associated materials is being launched today, Monday 11th November. To support the introduction of this new agreement we have agreed the following Joint Statement with Post Office and Unite.
We are pleased to be launching the revised Grievance Policy which is a ‘National Collective Agreement’ across Post Office Limited with Unite and CWU.
The policy aims to help employees and managers resolve work-related concerns in a positive, constructive and timely way, by providing a robust process for managers to deal with these concerns. The process for dealing with grievances has been simplified to make sure concerns can be dealt with quickly and effectively.
We believe many workplace concerns can be dealt with through day-to-day discussions. A key aim of the revised policy is to encourage employees to discuss the matter with their manager as soon as possible after it arises. By talking through the concern in this way, we think the majority will be resolved at this point.
The revised policy improves on good practice set out by ACAS and has been agreed jointly with our unions, replacing the existing policy and guide.
We believe the new approach will benefit the business, our employees and union representatives. We hope you find this policy useful in helping you resolve employee concerns.
Andy Furey Mike Eatwell Lee Kelly
Assistant Secretary UNITE Officer Employee Relations & Policy Director
CWU UNITE POST OFFICE LTD
The Agreement includes a number of key features as follows:
- The revised Agreement will be implemented consistently and fairly across the Post Office
- The formal procedure should be completed and the outcome shared with the member within 28 working days of the complaint being raised
- A facility to enable members to submit their grievance complaint directly to HR Services via a bespoke email address thus giving them the ability to go outside their line management
- The Agreement has three stages, one informal and two formal, including the Appeal, with a right to Union representation at all stages
- An explanation of the process should a ‘group of employees’ wish to raise a grievance
- Inclusion of the Voluntary Mediation process that is a component of the Collective Engagement Framework Agreement (CEF)
- Signposts and links to other relevant agreements such as Dignity at Work complaints and the Whistleblowing policy for criminal activities and malpractices
- Clarification of the process if a grievance is raised during an ongoing conduct process
- Explains appropriate level of management during the process
- The Agreement exceeds Acas standards
- Formal joint annual reviews will take place to identify any trends through statistics and review opportunities for improvement.
Accompanying the Grievance Policy and Procedure is an information toolkit and two fact sheets, one for the employee and one for the manager that will help to ensure all those who use the policy (those raising the grievance and those hearing the grievance) have a clear understanding of the agreed processes. Attached are the following supporting documents:
Appendix B: Employee Fact Sheet – This document helps members to understand the procedure and includes clear timescales and a flow chart of the process
Appendix C: Manager Fact Sheet – This document helps management to understand the procedure and includes signposts to relevant documentation and policies
Appendices D(i), (ii), (iii): Checklists (Formal Meeting, Appeal Meeting & Investigation) – Aide Memoires to ensure consistency in implementation of the policy and procedures and expected standards and behaviours
Appendix E: Template Forms (To Report, Appeal, Investigate, Summarise)
All parties believe the introduction of the newly agreed Grievance Policy and Procedures, accompanied with supporting resources and training is really positive news.
Finally I would like to thank Lynn Simpson, Postal Executive member, for leading on the negotiations and concluding this Agreement.
Yours sincerely
Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
19LTB653 – Post Office – Collective Agreement – Grievance Policy and Procedure
Attachment 1 to LTB653-19 – Appendix A
Attachment 2 to LTB653-19 – Appendix B
Attachment 3 to LTB653-19 – Appendix C
Attachment 4 to LTB653-19 – Appendix D(i)
Attachment 5 to LTB653-19 – Appendix D(ii)
Attachment 6 to LTB653-19 – Appendix D(iii)
Attachment 7 to LTB653-19 – Appendix E
